Raptus Regaliter
by Kate Nox
Summary: SG-1 is stuck on an isolated planet, and Jack is knee deep in a Royal scandal. Through love, deception, betrayal, and murder, he’s about to find out just what his team is made of...
1. Pravus Factum

A/N : I really want to go further with this, but everything depends on responses, of course! Hope you all had a nice (if a bit morally ambiguous) Thanksgivawhatsit, and I know I'm not the only one pulling for a snow day.... Scuttles off to chuck ice outside

Disclaimer: Don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure I DON'T OWN SQUAT.

I hope that clears up any confusion.

On with the fic!

Darkness swarmed about him as Jack made his way silently though the creepers. Age old roses and pacifying vines clung to the temple wall like a life line, clutching at the crevices and burrowing into the cracks. Jack stuck close to the cover they provided, drawing nearer to a barely visible back door.

He fit the old silver key in, turned it, and felt the click of the lock give way. _Wouldn't Joceline be pleased, _he thought.

His black Ops trained eyes skimmed the courtyard before him, taking in every detail of the perfectly tended shrubbery. Everything was just in its place, a perfect mirror image of the map he had studied back at the apartment. Hugging the stone, he walked foot over foot until he reached the dimly lit hall. _Second door on the right._

No key was needed. He had already penetrated the real security hours before, the door outside was just a last ditch effort to throw off would be assailants.

"Who's there?"

Me.

"Hello? I'm calling security-"

You do that.

"_Help-"_

Jack dropped the knife beside the old king, his hands trembling with adrenaline. He stood alone in the middle of the dark room, firelight laughing across his face. _Wouldn't Joceline be pleased_.

He looked up to the doorway, and there she stood. She was dressed in a thin crimson night gown, much the same color as the blood that was now blossoming onto the carpet. She walked over to him and put an icy hand on his cheek. Her eyes searched his face. He didn't know what she might be looking for... _Humanity?_ _Disgust?_ He held her gaze for only a moment, then her eyes fell on the body lying ungracefully at his feet. They held no pity, no remorse. And no fear. _That's your father,_ Jack thought desperately, _that's your father lying there. I killed him. We killed him. Feel something._

"I think," she said softly, "you should go now."

Jack turned towards the door and ran. She was right. The royal guard would be here in moments, just in time to find Joceline dashing out of her room to find her father dead. He could hear footsteps and voices echoing down the hall.

He paused in surprise as he reached the door to the courtyard. _Closed?_ Locked. He fit the silver key in and tried again. Nothing. He was trapped. The only way out led directly to the security office, and enough alerted guards to flay and army. _This door is not supposed to be locked, _he thought angrily. _There is no way this door could be locked._ The guards turned the corner at the end of the hall and spotted him. A few of them yelled, and Joceline came flying out of her room opposite, the perfect picture of panic and confusion. She looked across the hall into the open doorway of her father's rooms. Jack watched her expression change as she pretended to discover her father's body. Her eyes flicked over to him, and after just a moment's sorrowful recognition, she screamed to the guards.

"_Him!" _She yelled, "he murdered my father! _Seize him!_" She let out a wail of anguish, then flung herself out of sight, presumably to her father's side.

Jack stood in disbelief. It wasn't that he didn't understand what had just happened. That was all painfully clear. He just couldn't believe that she could do it. _This is not part of the plan.__This is not supposed to happen_.

He had no weapon. The knife he had used on the King was still lying beside him, useless. He hadn't thought to bring another weapon. He wasn't supposed to need one. The plan had been flawless.

But the planner had not.

The guards pored down the hall, and time seemed to slow. Joceline's cries. The blood on his hands. The clanking of armor.

Then nothing.


	2. Perdita

Updating! Yay!

ooOOoo

Daniel awoke feeling something was wrong. As this happened so often in his line of work, he decided to act on his instincts at once. He vomited.

"Daniel?" Someone spoke from the tent flap. He looked up. It was Peter. "Are you alright?"

"Remind me _never _to eat again. Anything. Ever." Daniel said miserably, wiping his mouth on a handy rag. Peter smiled apologetically, shifting from foot to foot. He looked nervous, or excited. Perhaps a bit of both. Daniel sat on a storage box to get a better look at him.

"Everyone is gathering at the fire pit," he said quickly. "There is a messenger from the city, with news of the King."

"What's he saying?"

"Nothing yet, but it looks big. He's waiting for the entire village to hear." Daniel stood up hurriedly, fallowing Peter out of his tent. _Jack is with the King. _He thought. He hadn't seen Jack for nearly a month; half the time they had been stuck on this planet. _Has something gone wrong?_

Peter led him to the central fire pit of the village, which was now a mass of apprehensive peasants and tradesman. The seats surrounding the pit were all filled, so Daniel stood beside Peter on the outskirts. A man stood beside the darkened ashes, the focus of everyone's attention. His face was full of a solemn pride Daniel had seen many times before. He waited for about another minute before motioning for silence.

"Citizens," he began. "Today is a day of mourning." A few worried voices came from the crowd to Daniels right. "Our King," he paused dramatically, "has been **slain**."

A collective sound of remorse echoed around the gathered village. Women clutched at their children, and men looked to each other grimly. Daniel said nothing. He was watching the messenger search among the crowd, carefully observing each reaction. His eyes met Daniel's, lingering for just a moment too long. _He knows me, _Daniel thought. _Does he expect to find a murderer here? _This man was dressed much to well to be a mere messenger; everything about him stank of law enforcement. Daniel felt his blood run cold. He waned to speak to Jack.If this country was going to dissolve into civil war, it wasn't going to be a very safe place to wait for a rescue show up.The King hadn't left an heir.

But the messenger was not finished.

"Do not despair, Citizens!" He called above their noise. "Although it is true we are without a King, we are not lacking a leader. The Senate has agreed to crown our Princess Joceline Valencia" _He had a daughter?_ "Queen of all Vidi-Bellezza!" The messenger said this news with such joy that the villagers could not help but cheer along with him.

Daniel did not join in. He tugged Peter shirt, dragging him away from the assembly.

"They can do that? Crown a female?" He asked, raising his voice above the cheering. Peter's face was flushed with something like over-blown civic pride, and Daniel could tell he didn't want to leave the gathering.

"I guess. It's never been done before! Who would have thought!"

Three cheers were starting for the new Queen Joceline, and Peter ducked away from him to join in. Daniel stayed behind. He went back to his tent, feeling like an outlaw for not joining in with the crowd. He fumbled through some of the things still left over from his SG-1 supplies, and pulled out his radio. He'd barely used it since coming to Vidi-Bellezza. He fiddled with the controls, attempting to raise Jack.

"Jack, it's Daniel. Jack, come in please. Jack-"

"Daniel?" It was Sam. "What's up?" It was weird hearing her voice after so long. She had moved to the city as well, but in a different part. Closer to the Stargate. Daniel had the feeling she was still trying to get it to work.

"A messenger came to my village." He explained. "Apparently the King was murdered." Sam hadn't heard. She said she would go to the Palace and look for Jack, just to check up on him. She tried to sound confident, but Daniel could tell she was worried. Jack would have checked in if something like this had happened.

"Sam, how many people know about the Stargate?"

"Just the King and the Senate, I think." She said. "Why?" Daniel listened to the mob outside his tent, thinking seriously.

"I think we might have a leak."


	3. Tradimento

Good morning... please R&R!

OooOOooO

Betrayal. Joceline had betrayed him.

Jack had known anger before. He had been angry at himself. He had been angry at the world. But never, until now, had he felt this much anger towards one person.

Joceline.

He took four steps towards the opposite wall, and drove his fist into the plaster. It left a dent in the wall, and throbbing pain in his hand.

His team was in danger now. _Was that part of her scheme too? Or was the sole plan to become Queen?_ _Sacrifice the off-worlders, rule the country?_

He had always known she was smart. Smarter then the Senate. Smarter then her father. Smarter then him.

Jack punched the wall again. This time he noticed a sharp pain in his ribs. _Probably broken,_ he thought disdainfully.

_They should have just killed me, _he thought. A second later he regretted it. His team needed him, now more then ever. He had screwed up. Big time.

But there was still time to fix it.

Several hours passed before anyone approached Jack's cell. The torch across the walk way was just beginning to burn low when someone stirred him from his rest.

"Get up." Jack opened his eyes. Standing outside his cell was what looked like Sasquatch. Or one of the guards.

"What, no breakfast in bed?" He whined. The guard was not amused. He hauled the door open and pointed out the way with a long thin object.

"The Queen requests your presence." He said dubiously. Jack shrugged half heartedly, trying not to let his ribs grate together. He walked cooly out in front of the guard, assessing his surroundings. The hall extended for another 4 rows of cells, then ended as it turned into, presumably, the main hall. The walkway was empty. It was now or never.

In one quick, trained movement Jack spun around until he was behind the lone guard. He got an arm lock on the guard's thick neck, but he was bring the stick up over his head, grunting with the effort. Suddenly a blinding pain disrupted Jack's senses. Caught unaware, he crashed to the floor, writhing and twitching as his body left his control. He forgot where he was; the only thing he knew was the bright light and searing pain. An all too familiar pain.

"Really, I thought you had me all figured out on the first day." Joceline said, pacing before the chair Jack had sunk into. The chair was warm and comfortable. The company was the opposite. "That's the reason I chose you, you know. I had to keep you close. You were suspicious. But you turned out to be quite perfect in the end. Quite... malleable..." Her voice had changed. What had once been frightened, soft and seductive was now powerful and dangerous. She walked with a self-assuredness that reminded Jack of something he was praying not to be true.

"Funny, that it all turned out so well. That it all _will_ turn out so well. But I guess I knew it all along-" Joceline kept on talking, but Jack's mind left her for a moment. The ribbon device the guard had used on him had left his body feeling weak and clammy. It was all he could do to keep his eyes open. He didn't know why he was letting her talk to him. He wanted to jump up out of this armchair and break her neck. Maybe knock her out with one of her heavy books. Push her down the stone steps...

"Do you know why you're here, Jack?"

Yes.

"Not a clue, actually." Jack said, not bothering to stop his words from slurring. The cheerful twang in his voice made Joceline sneer.

"Mare nostrum," she said delicately. The danger in her voice made the hair on the back of Jack's neck prickle.

"Never heard of it." Said Jack, trying to keep his voice overly cheerful.

"Few have," Joceline said eagerly, her face inches from his own. "But I thought our _founder_ should."


	4. Comperio

Thanks for sticking with me, I'm sorry about all the confusion, it'll all get sorted out soon :)

))ooOOoo((

Daniel met up with Sam outside the city walls just before nightfall. She had found Jack.

"He's locked up in the Royal prison- without reinforcements, I don't know how we can get him out." She said nervously. Daniel watched her glance over her shoulder for the third time.

"Were you fallowed?" He asked. Sam looked like she wanted to say no, but instead she gave a half-shrug.

"I don't know... I've just got this weird feeling..." Sam looked over her shoulder again and rubbed her neck.

"Why did they lock up Jack?" Daniel prompted her. Sam turned back to him.

"They're saying he killed the King."

"What?" Daniel said incredulously, "Why would he do that?"

"I have no idea." Sam answered.

"What was he doing here?"

"He said he was going to help Joceline with something-" Sam stopped speaking abruptly, pulling Daniel down into the shadow of the city wall. Footsteps were approaching fast from around the corner; booted footsteps. The Royal guard. Sam tugged at Daniel's shirt and motioned for him to fallow her. Keeping low, the two of them crept quickly and silently along the wall.

It was nearly dark by now, and visibility was further weakened by a thick fog coming in from the South. The fog carried the sound of the guards along the wall, and made the hair on the back of Daniel's neck stand up.

"This way," Sam whispered to him. She ducked into a doorway in the wall, Daniel fallowing close behind her. He shut it just as the Guards were rounding the bend in the wall, and found himself in a small room, with large crates stacked up to the ceiling on both walls.

"I don't think they saw us." Sam said after a moment. "Which way were they headed?"

"They turned West." Daniel answered. Sam let her shoulders fall.

"They're headed for the Stargate. They've probably sent soldiers to your village as well." Daniel nodded, looking around the room.

"Sam, where are we?" Daniel asked. Sam opened her mouth to answer, but someone beat her to it.

"The home of Master Gorlois, sir." A small voice said. An even smaller girl stepped out from behind the crates, a doll in her hand and a curious expression on her face. She wore a plain, tame colored dress like most of the city folk, but she also had a deep violet ribbon tied around her right arm. Her doll had a matching one. Both Sam and Daniel stared at her, stunned, before coming to their senses.

"Hello," Sam said kindly, using that voice adults always reserve for strange children. "What's your name?"

"Igraine." She answered.

"My name is-"

"Samantha Carter." The girl interrupted. "And your Daniel Jackson," she said, turning to the very stunned linguist.

"Yeah." said Sam, giving Daniel a perplexed look. The little girl reached a tentative hand forward and touched the faded SGC symbol on the shoulder of Sam's jacket.

"My parents have been talking about you. They were waiting for you to show up." The girl said slowly. "They want to help you."


	5. Soddisfazione

Jack wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of seeing him look anything less than chipper. He grinned up at her horrible face, his head resting on the comfortable shoulder rest of her chair.

"Is this a job offer? Because I think you know what my answer is." He said invitingly, his voice riddled with inflections and cheer. Joceline ignored him.

"Jack," she said soothingly, stoking his hair and smiling sadly, "You still don't understand? There is no part for you in what we have begun, together..." Joceline was staring into his eyes as if she were trying to hypnotize him. She put a cool hand on his aching forehead, and Jack let his false grin drop. _How could I have ever loved this woman? This lunatic?_ He thought to himself.

"You did all this," Jack said coldly, "for power? You murdered our own father, just to be Queen? I think you're the one who's not understanding what's happened here, Joceline." Jack let all his disgust for her show through in his voice.

She laughed at him. Something about that laugh sent chills down Jack's spine. That laugh was not the laugh of an insane woman. Joceline knew what she had done. She had plotted the death of her own father, and now here she stood, remorseless and satisfied.

"For power?" She said. "No! Not for power, nor riches, nor triumph. After all this time, Jack, you still know nothing of me. These luxuries are nothing but an added gratuity. The real reason has more to do with you then anything this world could provide me... You, and your Stargate." Joceline's eyes flashed with greed and excitement. Jack looked away from her. _I hate it when I'm right._

Sam and Daniel had fallowed Igriane out into the street and into a large house on the corner. Two young men that had been guarding the entry hall greeted them cheerfully, and pulled them out of the open quickly. They were both armed and heavy set, but had a kind air about them. They were led into a large room that looked like a rich library turned war room. The entire place was obviously some kind of underground organization, but for what neither Sam nor Daniel could guess. Very little was explained until a large party arrived several minuets after they had sat down.

"Dr. Carter, Dr. Jackson, it's good to see you safe and well." An elderly man greeted them politely. "I am Arther Gorlois."

"Uh, thanks." Daniel said, shaking the proffered hand and looking slightly put off. Almost 30 people were filing into the room after Gorlois, and seating themselves around a large central table.

"Please sit." He said, motioning to chairs beside him as he sat down. Daniel and Sam sat, both noticing how everyone was staring at them as if they had tails growing out of their heads.

"Comrades," began Arther Gorlois, "We are gathered here today to discuss the grave matters at hand. Today is a dark day indeed. Let us all have a moment of silence for the departed." Everyone around the table bowed their heads solemnly. Sam and Daniel imitated them, feeling uncomfortable.

After about a minute, Gorlois broke the silence with a cough. "Let his memory never fade." He said quietly. "As most of you may have guessed, with us today are Drs. Jackson and Carter. They were located not very long ago near the West wall." Daniel noticed many of the people gathered here looked very relieved at these words, and although he was still confused, some of his fear began to ebb away. Gorlois turned to him and Sam.

"We are all prepared to do whatever is necessary to ensure your safety, and get Colonel O'neil out of the palace." He said seriously. There were nods of agreement all around the table.

"Never before has such an opportunity arisen," Gorlois preached, "to complete the sacred goal set to us by our founders. After years of darkness and hiding, each side of this war biding their time, evil has reared her ugly head!" There were angry cries of ascent all around the table. The calm, polite group was rapidly transforming into a rally. "The DEMON has walked out from the depths of anonymity, and risen to a power _she must not hold!"_ Gorlois was shouting now, with the crowd was clapping and yelling along with him. And clarity finally came to Daniel.

"Joceline- she's a Gou'uld?" Sam whispered to him. Daniel bowed his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. Sam knew him well enough that he didn't even need to voice his thoughts; '_oh crap_.'


	6. Demonio

"Mr., ah, Gorlois, can we hear a bit more about this demon?" Daniel asked, as the man led them deeper into his massive house.

"She's been around since before the city was built." He answered, slowing down to walk beside them. "Sneaking through the ages, always in the guise of a pretty young lady. We lost track of her almost a generation ago; there was a nasty incident in a far away village, and she disappeared in the chaos. We were starting to hope she was dead, actually." He finished regretfully.

"How could you lose track of her?"Sam asked suddenly.

"Hmm?"

"Daniel and I have some experience with demons like yours," she said, "and they usually come with pretty obvious indicators; glowing eyes, deep voices...?"

"Ahh, yes. The demon masks all these things to hide from us."Gorlois said confidently.

"How?"

"She wears a ring, designed by our enslaved ancestors long ago."

"And your sure caused the death of the King?" Sam interjected.

"Of course," said Gorlois, "This sudden shift of power coupled with a murder is her favored _modus operandi_. The demon is, without question, residing with Princess- Queen- Joceline."

"Eh, sorry-" Daniel interrupted hesitantly, "But why don't you suspect Jack? Isn't everyone saying _he_ killed the King?" Gorlois stopped before a door and grinned at them.

"Your friend is just a player on the board for the demon, Dr. Jackson. On we have a saying; Life is as a river; it comes and goes, but all you get is more of the same." Daniel smiled weakly, remembering a very similar sounding someone. "That is to say, she has done this kind of thing in the past," Gorlois clarified. "Over the years we have been taught to recognize the signs; everything points to Joceline. Our Demon is getting careless. That is her greatest weakness; overconfidence. She thinks that by using a pawn she can make fools of us... but this time history will not repeat itself." Gorlois had brought them to a hall that reminded Daniel of a college dorm. "You must be tired. Might I suggest that you rest here for a few hours, while I and my colleagues plan our next course of action? You will be safe for the time being, but it might be safer to take a room away from the windows. Our organization has always remained a secret to the general public, as well as the government, but it is best not to take unnecessary risks, correct?" Both Daniel and Sam nodded, too tired to really listen to what he was saying.

"At dawn we leave for the palace."

"So you're in the market for a ticket to ride, is that it? Wanna start your own little off-world army? Well let me tell you something, sister, that big old universe out there is no place for a country girl." Jack's snide voice hit it's mark, and Joceline slapped him hard across the cheek.

"Again you underestimate me, my love," she crooned, the smallest hint of impatience creeping into her voice. "But you will learn, soon enough." Joceline left his side and walked back over to the fire.

"Before you arrived here, I had given up hope of ever leaving this retched, empty planet. I had to focus on just surviving." She said bitterly, starting to pace the fireplace. "We chose the people here for their wits, not their bodies; what a mistake that was. At first, our settlement flourished. The people were manageable, competent; we were well on our way to true power. We trained our slaves in the ways of technology and sciences, and they rewarded us with advancements beyond our wildest dreams; tools no others had were at our disposal."

Jack didn't know why she was telling him this, but he listened intently just the same. Joceline seemed to have so many memories she shared with no one that they were overflowing. All the years in insolation had broken something others could take for granted.

"Then, the rebellion." She said, eyes darkening. He could guess the rest from there. "I am the only one left."

Jack felt his eyelids begin to droop, the fatigue brought on by his abusive day starting to take it's tole. But Joceline was almost finished. She closed the distance between them in several swift steps, and pulled a ring from her finger.

"I betrayed you, Jack," a strange, changed voice said, "and the people here are going to kill you for it. But before that happens, you are going to help me one final time."

"I am, am I?" Jack said snidely. Joceline ignored him.

"As we speak, your friends are on their way to save you." She said, almost gleefully. "Arther Gorlois has spent his entire life learning to recognize me, but like you, he has failed his task miserably. Him, along with his rag tag soldiery, will infiltrate this palace in hopes of finding you, and killing me. What he will uncover, however, will be quite the opposite." Joceline was very close to him again, breathing into his face and filling up his vision. She reached for his hand and slipped the smooth, worn ring on his index finger, a sinister grin forming on her mouth. The last sight Jack knew before sleep finally claimed him were the flashing eyes of the woman he thought he had loved.


End file.
